Charlotte, NC – One of the marquee matchups at UFC Charlotte on Saturday involves welterweights Daniel Rodriguez and Ian Garry, but the former isn’t convinced that his opponent really is ready to take on an MMA veteran like him.
“He’s still very green and young in the game and in the sport. I feel like I’m his toughest matchup to date. He ain’t really fought nobody really,” Rodriguez told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“He’s still young and he needs to be humbled, and I’m here to humble him.”
Rodriguez (17-3) does give the young fighter his due for the skillset. What he doesn’t think is that Garry is legit as he believes he’s being hyped up and built up.
“I mean he does have a pretty good skillset. I don’t think he’s ready for it. He’s not like no phenom. He’s not like knocking dudes out. He’s got a little hype off of him because, I feel like, they’re building him up,” he said.
“I’m here to take all that away.”
Garry (11-0) is coming off a victory over Kenan Song at UFC 285 where he finished his opponent by TKO. Rodriguez wasn’t impressed with the win.
“I hate to say it, but his last opponent is one of those guys where you’re supposed to beat that guy. I’d destroy that guy if I fought that guy. He dropped (Garry). It’s a little suspect his chin, and his experience level. He pulled through that and was able to win the fight,” he said.
“In a situation where he’s a fighting a real dog like me, I don’t train to fight I train to finish, and I got a lot riding on this fight. I’m coming off a loss. He’s not ready for me.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Daniel Rodriguez above. He takes on Ian Garry at UFC Charlotte on Saturday night.
